Field of the Invention
The invention is concerned with a removable guard or panel for the side of an engine compartment or the like. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a particularly advantageous mounting means for a panel which allows the panel to be quickly inserted in place, held in place with relatively little vibration, and easily removed. Still more particularly, the invention is concerned with such a mounting means which provides the advantage of being extremely rugged and being generally wholly metallic in construction, thus eliminating the need for elastomeric or plastic parts which might wear out and require periodic replacement.
The provision of openings through sidewalls of engine compartments to allow access to components within engine compartments is, of course, well known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,148 commonly assigned herewith and U.S. Design Pat. No. 203,620 also commonly assigned herewith, both show vehicles having engine compartments with an opening therethrough. U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,148 shows such a compartment with a plurality of tabs extending into the opening and to which a panel can be attached. A number of problems exist with the prior art means for mounting a panel to close off such an opening into an engine compartment. First, there is the problem that it generally takes a relatively large period of time to fasten down bolts all around the edge of a panel or around at least two, and generally at least three, of the edges of a panel so as to hold the panel rigidly in place. Second, there is the problem that with rigid attachment of the panel about the periphery of the opening in the engine compartment, vibration problems occur, and, in order to cut down the vibration problems and the noise therefrom, it has often been necessary to use elastomeric or plastic washers or the like in conjunction with the bolts which fasten the panel over the opening. Often the elastomeric or plastic material has not been rugged enough to stand repeated fastenings and unfastenings and has required replacement. This is both expensive and time consuming, especially if the replacement parts are not easily available, and, of course, in the absence of replacing the elastomeric or plastic materials the noise level and the vibration has often been objectionable. Third, and of considerably more importance, it has been found that when a panel is rigidly attached over an opening in an engine compartment the flexing of the main frame of the vehicle and of the sidewall of the engine compartment has led to a shearing of the bolts which serve as the panel mounting means. Generally, the bolts which have been sheared are the forward bolts which are those nearest the front idler of an endless track-driven vehicle, or the front wheels of a tire-driven vehicle.
The present invention provides a non-rigid means for mounting a panel over an opening through an engine compartment sidewall. The mounting means can be, and generally is, formulated solely of metallic members, thus eliminating any problems with deterioration of elastomeric or plastic members. The mounting is not completely rigid, and thus shearing problems are completely eliminated. Further, the mounting is sufficiently resilient so that vibration problems do not occur whereby the use of elastomeric or plastic materials is not necessary to ensure relatively low vibration and noise. Still further, the mounting means of the present invention allows much quicker access to the interior of the engine compartment since a lesser number of bolts need be detached in order to remove the panel from the opening. These and other advantages, as will become apparent when reading the specification and claims which follow, are attributes of the present invention.